As John Higgins has a 6,900 point lead at the head of the current provisional list it will take a poor season to threaten his no.1 position and with just six ranking events it would really need to be a shocking run for him to lose out.

I predict reasonably strong seasons from Marks Selby and Allen and from Ryan Day and Ricky Walden, so I have them all moving up.

There are just 950 points separating Steve Davis in 13th place and Graeme Dott in 22nd so the race for a top 16 place could be very interesting this season.

I’m predicting a good season for Jamie Cope, who I think will breakthrough and possibly win a tournament.

I was also impressed pretty much every time I saw Barry Hawkins play last season and think he’ll get the bits of luck he missed out on last term.

I’d like to be wrong but I think Stephen Hendry will continue his decline – albeit gradual – and slip down a little.

As for the players being relegated: take out the China Open and Peter Ebdon was poor last season. I also don’t think Mark King will hang on to his place in the elite.

And I’m afraid Ding Junhui doesn’t make the cut for me either.

But this is only a bit of fun based on nothing more than guesswork.

Remember, as the satirist Robert Storm Petersen said: it’s tough making predictions, especially about the future.